Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Johan Ibsen (20 March 1828 – 23 May 1906) was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theater director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of realism" and is one of the founders of Modernism in theater. His major works include Brand, Peer Gynt, An Enemy of the People, Emperor and Galilean, A Doll's House, Hedda Gabler,Ghosts, The Wild Duck, Rosmersholm, and The Master Builder. He is the most frequently performed dramatist in the world after Shakespeare, and A Doll's House became the world's most performed play by the early 20th century. Tossup Questions # A work by this man ends with the title character flinging himself off a tall spire, which he has climbed after being pressed to do so by a girl to whom he promised a kingdom. Another of his works is about a man who discovers that the water used in his town's baths is contaminated. This man wrote a work about a woman who takes out a loan from Krogstad, who tries to blackmail Nora into having her husband Torvald reinstate him to his former job. For 10 points, The Master Builder, The Enemy of the People, and A Doll's House are by what Norwegian playwright? # One character created by this author marvels at the pictures in English-language books like Harrison's History of London, which were left behind by an old sea captain who used to live in his room. In another of his plays, the protagonist reasons that God has granted him a gift because he can profit from the burning of his wife's ancestral home. One of his title characters imagines that her lover will die with "vine-leaves" in his hair, but he actually dies in a brothel run by Mademoiselle Diana. In one of his plays, the housekeeper Gina admits an affair with Hakon Werle, who orders Hedwig to kill the wounded title animal. He wrote a play in which Halvard Solness falls to his death from his own tower, and a play whose title character uses Judge Brack's two pistols to shoot herself. For 10 points, name this playwright of The Wild Duck, The Master Builder, and Hedda Gabler, a modernist from Norway. # One character created by this writer visits Mademoiselle Diana after he loses an important document on his return from a bachelor party. Another character throws that document into a fire and avoids blackmail from Judge Brack by committing suicide. In another work by this writer, the protagonist borrows money from Krogstad and eventually decides she must leave her husband (*) Torvald. For 10 points, name this playwright who created the title character of Hedda Gabler and Nora Helmer in A Doll's House, both set in his native Norway. # In one work by this playwright, a traveling sculptor reminds a woman of her broken engagement to a sailor. In a later play by this author, the daughter of that heartbroken woman persuades a man to put a wreath on top of a house. This creator of Hilda Wangel also wrote about a woman who financed a trip to Italy by forgery, leading to blackmail by (*) Krogstad. For 10 points, name this author of The Lady From the Sea, The Master Builder, and a play in which Nora Helmer slams the door on middle-class Norwegian values, A Doll's House. # his author wrote a play whose main character decides to allow a ship called The Indian Girl to go to sea, despite its unseaworthiness. In addition to The Pillars of Society, he wrote a play whose title character is Halvard Solness, The Master Builder. He is better known for a play in which Hedvig commits suicide rather than kill the title bird, and one in which Nora leaves her husband Torvald. For 10 points, name this Norwegian playwright of The Wild Duck and A Doll's House.